Like all adventures in the Echoes of War series, this one opens with a comprehensive run-down of the basic rules for playing and Game Mastering the Firefly RPG. These are introduced simply, novices ought to be able to get the idea whilst experienced gamers new to this particular system can pick up its salient features. This adventure is designed to be played with characters from the Serenity Crew supplement (who may be either the main characters from the TV show or ones based on the archetypes provided), but will work just as well with characters generated using the core rulebook. This part of the book (only) can be read by both players and GMs.

Next is a section called 'The Way of Things' which explains what the adventure's all about and provides major and minor NPCs. It is full of hints about role-playing the various NPCs, particularly important in this adventure as it is one involving a lot of interaction. There's detail on how to embroil the party, with the suggestion that it might be easiest with the original Serenity crew as the player-characters and a run-down of how the archetypes mentioned above can be woven into the story if that's what your players have chosen. A wealth of detail on the main locations that might feature in the adventure is provided here as well, the nature of it being such that most of the action will happen where it happens rather than being tied to a specific location.

So, on to the adventure proper which comes in a Prelude and four Acts. It all starts in a bar, where an old friend and drinking buddy tells the crew that his wife has gone missing... and then things degenerate into a bar-room brawl which for once actually makes sense as part of the story rather than just being an excuse to flex muscles and smash things up. And that's just the Prelude!

Naturally, things go downhill from then on. The crew will have to defend themselves as well as try and find out what's happened to their friend's wife - who, it turns out, is not the only person to have gone missing. Twists and turns follow thick and fast, and the crew will have to decide who to trust... and how far. Intrigue and interaction mixes with threats and outright violence gives a good balance to the adventure: whatever each player-character's strengths are they will get a chance to shine. And it all ends up with a three-way showdown that should have everybody on the edges of their seats, with a few surprises thrown in for good measure.

After the dust dies down, there are some suggestions for further adventures, as well as a couple of maps that ought to come in handy when running the adventure.

If quite intricate plots, villains to foil, choices to make and a few good brawls make a good game for you, this is one to take a look at.

This is the second adventure in the Echoes of War campaign, which serves to introduce you and your players both to the Firefly RPG and its setting. As such, the first section explains how the game is played - in terms simple enough for people new to role-playing, never mind this game - with the assumption that you either have characters from Serenity Crew or created using the full core rulebook. This includes advice for Game Masters, so even if it is your first time running a game you have some guidance about what you should do to get everything to work well for all involved. If you are an experienced GM but new to Firefly there's plenty of detail showing you how to both apply this ruleset's game mechanics and how to run a session in a way that catches the essential flavour of the game. Most of this first section can be shared with players if they need to learn how to play this game.

All that out of the way, the next section is called 'The Way of Things' and tells the GM exactly what is going on in this adventure and a likely course of events once the crew takes on the initial challenge. It also introduces two key NPCs, Shepherd Mordecai Rust and Roscoe Lake, complete with full character sheets as well as notes on how to play them. Other lesser - but no less important to the overall adventure - NPCs are also given in less detail, with notes on how to play them and embed them into the adventure as well.

So on to the adventure itself, with a Prelude in which the crew meets up with Shepherd Rust who asks for their help - an orphanage he supports is under threat of being closed down by Roscoe Lake, to whom they owe a fair bit of money. The good Shepherd has come up with an idea to save them by entering a speedboat race and winning the substatial prize on offer, but he needs some help - like people who can maintain and pilot a speedboat, for example! He's got one, but it is in a state of disrepair and needs a lot of work before it will float let alone give a good showing of itself in a race.

The adventure continues from there with a sequence of four acts that take the crew through getting ready for and participating in the race. Naturally, it's not quite as straightforwards as that. Suggestions and options are well-highlighted along with ideas about what would happen should the characters decide on a certain course of action. It all makes it a very dynamic adventure with a lot going on and plenty of scope for using a range of skills and role-playing... and of course some fighting as well. The way the text is written assumes that the players have chosen characters from the Serenity's crew, but there's nothing that cannot be tweaked if they have different characters. The adventure ends with some suggestions for further action.

It's a fast-paced interesting adventure with plenty going on, presented in a way that should make it easy to run with loads of options and suggestions at every turn so that it can appear tailored to the crew's actions - neat. Even so, make sure that you have read it thoroughtly beforehand, it is probably too much to try to run straight out of the box. As an introduction to both game system and concept, it's excellent.

This book, which came out well before the main Firefly RPG core rulebook, is designed to enable you to leap into action with the adventure series Echoes of War. For those who fancy playing the crew of the TV series, they are presented in detail, whilst those who'd rather play their own character in the setting have a selection of archetypes on which to base their own creations.

Then we move on to each of the main characters, the crew of the Serenity. Each has a good portrait (now I can figure out who is who... yes, I did watch the show but was more interested in the stories than the characters!) with plenty of background about how they came to be there and what makes them tick - all useful stuff if you want to role-play them effectively. This is followed by a full character sheet. The complete information fits onto two pages, so quite easy to print out back-to-back and have everything you need on one piece of paper. Printer-friendly versions are provided, basically on a white background rather than the coloured one in the main text. They mesh well with the characters on TV although they go no further - things that the characters didn't like to talk about there are not explained any further here.

For those who prefer designing original characters there are a dozen archetypes. These are almost-complete characters with scope for personalisation - you'll need a name and although there's a bit of background provided you may tweak it, change skills and such like to make it your own. It's a cut-down version of the full character generation system, and enough to produce a playable character. There are printer-friendly versions of these included as well, but they will end up rather messy by the time you have finished your customisation - pick up the free Interactive Crew and Ship Sheets download and use that for your character sheet instead, or you can use the rather more basic blank character sheet at the end of the book.

Finally, there's a section on that other essential you're going to need before you start playing: a ship. Just like characters, ships have various characteristics in numeric form that can be used to roll dice when the need arises, and this is explained here. The equivalent of attributes are engine, hull and systems; and ships then have signature assets. For the party's ship, you use the characters' skills as appropriate, GMs use a fourth attribute called crew to replace the characters on other ships. There's a blank sheet for writing up ships provided at the end too.

This is a good 'get-you-started' tool, and once you have your characters there are a range of compatible adventures around to try them out on. It's a bit more expensive than the average 'quick-start' package but a lot of care and attention have gone into it, although some people may find the rather casual text a bit off-putting. It's pretty much in character for the game itself, though. A good way to get started.

This supplement deals with World War 2 on the Eastern Front, that is, the conflict between Germany and the Soviet Union. As the introduction points out, it is less familiar in the west than events in Europe or other parts of the world, due in part to the long Cold War that followed the ending of overt hostilities with former allies becoming enemies eyeing one another balefully through the Iron Curtain.

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Eastern Front sets the scene with a brief introduction to the Achthung! Cthulhu setting, mention of the dual-statted nature of this work with game mechanics provided for both the Call of Cthulhu and Savage Worlds rulesets and a chronology of events running from 1831 (when the founder of the cult Theosophical Society, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, was born) right through to May 1945, taking in revolution and developments in occultism right along with mainstream history. Plenty of neat little details about notable individuals too.

Next, Chapter 2: Tundra, Taigia and Steppe looks at the dark nature of the conflict, two totalitarian states clashing leaves little room for individual opinion and intolerance and brutality are the order of the day. This section concentrates on Russia, explaining the history and the nature of daily life during the war years. There are notes on major cities, rationing and many other things that affect the population - and anyone else roaming around, of course. What transpired as the Germans advanced is also covered, as well as the Baltic States, Poland and Yugoslavia.

Then Chapter 3: The Soviet War Machine looks at the forces arrayed against the Germans, including organisation and their unique mindset - part based on the Russian character and part imposed by the Communist regime. This is followed by Chapter 5: Heroes of the Soviet Union - nothing to do with the decoration of the same name, this tells you how to generate Russian characters under both rulesets covered, and includes new occupations including vor (Russian organised crime) and military ones such as the cavalry (the Russians continued to use the horse in battle until 1943!). If you are interested in getting your character a medal or two there's a very simplistic chart, it is worth finding out more and relating awards to exploits that you have in your backstory or perform during play!

Characters in order, Chapter 6: Weapons and Gear provides the information that you need to kit him out. (Or her, unlike everyone else, the Russians allowed women to enlist in every aspect of the military.) There is also a new weapon quality: Unreliable, to reflect the often poor quality and dodgy supply chain with which Russian troops had to contend... it would be later on that Mikhail Kalasnikov came up with the simple and durable rifle bearing his name! Chapter 6: Across Land and Sky discusses transportation issues and presents a range of Russian vehicles, including tanks (LOTS of tanks!) and aircraft.

Next, Chapter 7: The Weird and Wonderful turns attention to matters occult, including an establishment by the name of the Brain Institute who, amongst other things, make use of Mi-Go technology in their experiments. There's a heady mix of other organisations, cults, individuals and expeditions to get your teeth into as well, ending with a gazetteer of occult activity - plenty to spawn ideas for adventure here. Chapter 8: Hidden and Forgotten Knowledge follows, mixing genuine Russian occultism with Mythos lore seamlessly.

These are followed by Chapter 9: Beasts and Behemoths - an array of monsters - and Chapter 10: Cogs in the Machine, which contains several notable historical figures and a regular army of NPCs for you to make use of, all dual-statted of course. Finally (just in case all that has gone before hasn't given you enough ideas) Chapter 11 provides some adventure seeds and Chapter 12 presents source material that can help you develop atmosphere as well as provide even more ideas.

An enlightening book that provides plenty of resources if you wish to take your campaign into the frozen lands of Mother Russia!

In many ways, North Africa seems tailor-made for the concept of mixing World War 2 action with the Cthulhu Mythos... after all, it's got Egypt in it! But as this book reveals there is a lot more to be found than the secrets of ancient Egypt, although they do come in handy in the fight against the Things That Should Not Be.

After an introduction that tells of the wartime exploits of the lead author's father (somewhat similar to tales told by my dad!), Chapter 1: Welcome to North Africa sets the scene and provides a time-line from 1869 (the opening of the Suez Canal) right up to 1945, although as far as actual combat is concerned, things went quiet after the middle of 1943. There's still plenty of scope for espionage, archaeological investigations and more, however.

Chaptet 2: A Sea of Sand and Stone then talks about the desert and more, starting with a gazetteer of the countries along the Mediterranean coast from Egypt in the east, including notes on those all-important places, oases. Water is vital when travelling in these parts, of course. The notes provide brief yet vivid pen-sketches of many places most have heard of in passing, such as El Alamein or Tangiers. This is followed by a discussion on the war in East Africa, down the east coast of the continent and involving countries such as Sudan, Somaliland and Kenya; many of which were drawn into the conflict due to being colonies of various European powers. The chapter ends with a detailed look at Cairo, the capital of Egypt and seat of much intrigue although untouched by actual combat. It's a melting pot of a city and an excellent setting for many an adventure.

Next, Chapter 3: Secrets and Lies discusses the tremendous amount of espionage and other secret operations that were rife in the region during the war. Plenty of scope here for plots, be it the activities of the British Special Operations Executive (and you thought they spent their time parachuting into France, didn't you? Nope, they spread their net far and wide...) or even the antics of the world's press, sniffing out stories despite censorship and military needs for secrecy. The Americans and the Germans were not far behind with their own clandestine affairs.

Then Chapter 4: The Shifting Sands of War provides game mechanical resources for creating and playing area-appropriate Investigators, complete with both Call of Cthulhu and Savage Worlds rules. Fancy being an archaeologist or even a Bedouin tribesman? Or perhaps the Kepi Blanc as a member of the French Foreign Legion is more your style? Details of how to set up characters in these and other suitable occupations are provided. Naturally the Long Range Desert Group and the newly-fledged SAS are there too; and there is scope to play Australians, South Africans and New Zelanders as well.

Characters generated, you will need some equipment and Chapter 5: Coffee Pots and Jerry Cans should meet your needs. The uniforms worn by various armies and specialist groups is covered with special note to footwear (a soldier's best friends are his feet and they need to be taken care of!)... whilst apparently every Italian soldier has his own personal expresso coffee pot. There is an array of weapons and some rather more esoteric items as well.

Next Chapter 6: Ships of the Desert covers the whole range of issues about travelling in the desert, it's not only about camels (although my favourite riding animal is included, of course). Here we read about getting to North Africa in the first place, and getting around by various vehicles on land and in the air, not to mention the perils of navigation when landmarks are few and far between. Once you have your means of transportation the next chapter (Chapter 7: Just Deserts) covers survival and the dangers that the environment poses to the unwary and unprepared.

Chapter 8: A Most Dangerous Game then explores the occult forces at play in the region and with ancient Egypt there's plenty to be had! The Germans have been investigating here since the mid-1930s under the auspices of the Ahnenerbe and more conventional archaeologists have found more than they bargained for as well. Here is told the origins of the Necronomicon, possibly the most infamous text in Mythos lore. Locations for investigations abound, if you can but hang on to your sanity long enough to explore them. There are mysterious societies and cults to join, infiltrate or combat, and plenty of mysterious and powerful people to provide opposition and others who may prove to be friends or allies. This chapter is definitely one for the GM or Keeper alone!

Chapter 9: Of Magic and Magicians goes further into the murky depths, detailing arcane treasures and strange magical knowledge that go only to fuel the region's reputation as an exotic, romantic and mysterious place. There are several tomes that belong in very secure libraries and a handful of new spells to cast... if you dare.

The next two chapters - Chapter 10: Beasts, Real and Imaginary and Chapter 11: Friend and Foe - provide a host of creatures and people to interact with and to fight against, including known personalities of the time as well as generic examples. Finally, there are adventure seeds and suggestions for sources of inspiration in the final two chapters to set you up for some memorable adventures, campaigning in North Africa.

Everything is presented in the by-now familiar 'bunch of papers' style, with atmospheric pictures, scribbled notes and sidebars with snippets of information, all skilfully blending history, Mythos and more. Where's my camel?

This supplement equips you to take your Achtung! Cthulhu adventures across the world to the Pacific Theatre, where ferocious battles in the Pacific islands and Southern Asia and the perils of jungle warfare are mixed with the emergence of ancient evils. Chapter 1: Welcome to the Pacific sets the ball rolling by setting the scene with a time-line of events pertinent to the Far East from 1854 right through to the events of the Second World War. Mostly historical, it is enlivened by snippets of information - often presented in the form of 'notes' apparently pinned to the page - that add colour and suggest ideas as wekk as adding further material about people and events of the times. It ends in April 1945, with a note that if you run the forthcoming Achtung! Cthulhu: Assault on the Mountains of Madness campaign, events in Europe from 1944 on are likely to be world-changing enough to disrupt matters here in the Pacific.

Chapter 2: The Land of the Rising Sun gives an introduction to Japan, a mysterious land that until the 1830s had deliberately isolated itself from the rest of the world. Since the succession of a new emperor, rapid changes turned the nation from feudalism and mediaeval standards of living to a modern technological country ready to take its place on the world stage. This is coupled with an aggressive military stance directed against China and Russia... and the development of many secret societies whose tentacles reach out through every part of Japanese society. This sets the background against which Japan enters the Second World War by attacking Pearl Harbour in December 1941, dragging the United States into the conflict.

Next, Chapter 3: The Balance of Power looks at the state of affairs in the Pacific region during the run up to World War Two, as well as giving a brief overview of how events unfold as time progresses. It's to be noted that few people had much idea of the situation there unless they have some connection with the area, this applies to Investigator characters as much as anyone else. Apart from China, Thailand and Japan, much of the region is under colonial control from elsewhere - and even a fair bit of China's territory is under Japanese control.

This is followed by Chapter 4: In Captivity, which expands on earlier references to the cruelty of the Japanese to those they invade as well as to prisoners of war. Although game mechanics are provided, it is probably best that characters do not find themselves in captivity.

Next comes Chapter 5: New Beginnings. This provides rules for generating characters who come from the Pacific region as well as providing appropriate new career paths and other material, with mechanics for both Call of Cthulhu and Savage Worlds. There are also additional military careers and training packages relevant to this theatre of war. Characters sorted, Chapter 6: The Whole Kit and Caboodle provides all the weapons and equipment that they could dream of, with Japanese weaponry included as well.

Chapter 7: The Best Laid Plans discusses the challenges of conducting combat operations in the Pacific region. This includes notes on Japanese combat doctrine and methods as well as the perils of jungle warfare... and as if that wasn't enough, Chapter 8: Exotic Beasts and Vile Beings provides plenty of wildlife and more hostile adversaries with plenty of detail of Chtulhu Mythos presence in the area. Piling more on, Chapter 9: Artefacts, Spells and Tomes delivers information on notable items and books that might be encoungtered and a few new spells to cast.

Then Chapter 10: The Many Faces of War provides a raft of NPCs from famous people to generic soldiers and civilians that the characters might encounter in the course of their adventures. Chapter 11: Adventure Seeds provides several ideas for plots to be run in the Pacific region, although they are just brief outlines and will require work before they can be played through. Finally, Chapter 12: Suggested Resources provides reference to books, films and other materials that can set the scene, provide further information or just get you into the right mood for a Pacific campaign.

Overall, this is a comprehensive introduction to a lesser-known aspect of the Second World War with sufficient Mythos involvement to keep any investigator intrigued.

Opening with a poster for a gig and an evocative piece of fiction, a tale about a young musician-mage who in desperation is directed by her future self to seek guidance from a strange old man, thus leading in to the concept of legacies as introduced in the core rulebook but now to be discussed at length in a book dedicated to the subject.

The Introduction: Reaching for the Supernal explains how whilst mages know that there's a lot more to the world than 'ordinary' folk (or Sleepers) might realise, they each have to find their own routes to understanding and mastering it. Fundamentally, working magic comes down to the mage's will and his soul but there are many images and theories used to explain it and various powers, called attainments, that mages can learn in their quest to mould their souls and work their wills. Many develop themselves, Awakened and having chosen an order, by training in a legacy or perhaps even creating their own. The legacies are so named because that is what they are, the legacy of an earlier mage's efforts to craft their own soul and master their magical powers.

This book describes, in considerable detail, some thirteen of these legacies which are all linked by in some way referring to 'the sublime'. Some are organised and widely-recognised in mage society, others chaotic or followed by but a few determined souls. Mages following these teachings aspire to become in some way sublime themselves. Perhaps they dream of becoming gods, wish to ascend to a better world or improve the one they live in. Maybe they'd like to wield magic unheard of by any of their peers. It is amazing enough to have one's soul Awaken to the Supernal World, but those mages who choose to follow a legacy seek to become exceptional even by Awakened standards. It taps into the essence of this game, the core concept of opening one's eyes to the realms of possibilities inherent iin the use of magic in a modern world.

The bulk of the book is given over to detailed discussion of each of the thirteen legacies presented herein. Most are available to player-character mages but two follow the so-called Left Hand Path, strands of knowledge so abhorrent that mage society recoils from such teachings and those who practice them. These can serve as outright enemies, rather than the political rivals others present in the continual dance that is the intrigue upon which mage society thrives.

For each legacy there is extensive discussion of the underlying philosophy: what kind of mage is attracted to it and will thrive in its ranks. There's the history and of course the attainments, the legacy-specific powers that practitioners gain. There are also details of what the typical adherent might look like and behave, and how they are regarded by and interact with the rest of mage society. Rites and rituals of the legacy and even story hooks and ideas based upon them are included. A neat item is a fully-developed sample character complete with backstory, quotes and stat block - a ready-made NPC should you require a member of that legacy.

The really fun thing about all these legacies, however, is the underlying philosophy, the theories by which each explains their magic. Studying these, and embracing the thought-patterns of your chosen legacy, will help you begin to think like your character.

After introducing such a wide variety of legacies - including a couple of really dark and destructive ones that are best followed by NPCs - there is an Appendix: Shaping the Soul that explains how to design your own legacy. As some of the legacies presented here are of recent origin, there are bound to be potential new ones springing up so if you fancy a go at writing your own philosophy of magic, here is your chance. Game mechanics are made clear, but the spark of imagination will be your own. As a player, this is a chance for your character to make their own original contribution to mage society. As a Storyteller, you can craft legacies to tell your own stories in your own way, devising allies and antagonists around a premise of your own devising.

As with the extant legacies, the whole process is embued with the underlying philosophy of magic. This drives the development of the new legacy, the relevant game mechanics follow later as a matter of course. Characters who carve their own paths in this manner may be consciously absorbed in the process or it may be a natural progression from the development of their interests as they progress as mages... for this is but the first step in actually creating a legacy, only time will tell if other mages will choose to follow. Creating a legacy should be a slow process, one of spiritual growth and change, not something done on a whim merely to create a more powerful character.

If you really want to get into a mage's mind, studying this work gives some insight, even if you do not choose to have your character join one of these legacies or have a go at creating one of his own. If you are the Storyteller there is plenty here to help you create a rich tapestry of mage society as a backdrop for your stories whilst the legacies may suggest some actual plots as well.

Aimed at players - whether of Call of Cthulhu or Savage Worlds - this book contains a wealth of material to help them understand the alternate history of a World War 2 with added Cthulhu Mythos elements, and hence to play their characters more convincingly.

Chapter 1: Welcome to the Secret War sets out the basic premise, beginning with a timeline of events running from November 1918 to April 1945. Despite comments about Mythos involvement, this is straight history... the weird bits get mixed in later! After all, to begin with the characters probably know nothing about it.

Next, Chapter 2: Keep the Home Fires Burning looks at life on the 'home front' - as opposed to the battlefield - telling how the war affected those not actively involved in combat just as much as it did those in uniform. There's a lot here from working life to fashion and food, even popular music of the day. Again this is historically accurate without the merest taint of Mythos, just as is intended for the game: ordinary folk got through the war without hearing about such things (much as it was only after the war that many Nazi atrocities were revealed). Chapter 3: Home Sweet Home continues this theme with a timeline of events in civilian life. A few suggestions about the style of adventures you might have on the home front are included, but this book is really for players rather than game masters (although they too ought to read it, it does not duplicate the contents of the Keeper's Guide to the Secret War). It all goes towards putting your adventures into context, however.

With the Home Front adequately covered, what of those who took up arms? Chapter 4: In the Service of One's Country gives an overview of the armed forces, intelligence and auxillary services mainly from an Allied point of view, although the German military machine is also covered. (Indeed, the whole book assumes characters will be drawn from Allied countries.)

Now that the scene has been comprehensively set, Chapter 5: Your Country Needs You! delves into the game mechanics involved in creating a WW2 Investigator character. There's an overview of the different nationalities from which he might come and a review of civilian and military occupations. Skills, pay scales, everything that you need to know about various occupations are included... and there's even a section on how to introduce a modicum of Mythos knowledge even before play begins by creating a bit of backstory to explain it - and perhaps explain why it's YOU and not someone else who gets embroiled in the sort of missions that are the basis of gameplay in this setting. For those intending military characters there is a review of the process of character generation under Call of Cthulhu rules, which in the original cater well for having a military background but are less good if you want your character to be in service when play begins. There's even a (somewhat inaccurate) note on the decorations he might have received. It also covers the civilian who has just enlisted (or who will do so during the course of the game). Unless you have a much-loved character which the game master agrees, it's recommended that you use these rules in conjunction with your chosen ruleset to generate your Achtung! Cthulhu character, as they've been written with the era and setting in mind.

Getting down to nuts and bolts, Chapter 6: Getting Your Hands Dirty introduces and explains new skills appropriate to this game, with Call of Cthulhu mechanics. Fear not, Chapter 7: The Savage Practice of War covers similar material under the Savage Worlds ruleset, if that is your game of choice. Chapter 8: Tools of the Trade mainly concentrates on weapons, with a wealth of detail about the different ones popular with various nations and units, complete with statistics for both rulesets.

To wind up, Chapter 9: Quick Play Guide summarises everything you need to know to create and play your character under either ruleset, and Chapter 10: Suggested Resources covers books, films and more that will enable you to understand the period better and get into the right mood.

Overall, this is an excellent introduction to playing in the Achtung! Cthulhu setting and ought to be read by players and referees alike.

This tome is intended as the essential reference work for mixing the Cthulhu Mythos with World War Two - primarily aimed at the GM/Keeper but providing a lot of detailed background for anyone wishing to explore adventuring in a 'weird war' style.

After a brief Introduction by Chris Birch, instigator of the concept, it's on to Chapter 1: From the Shadows. With a brief piece of atmospheric fiction, it launches into an explanation of what this game is designed to present: an alternate history of WW2 in which the Nazis are attempting, through their known interest in the occult, to recruit the forces of the Mythos to aid their quest for world domination. Whilst most of the material is generic, specific game mechanics are provided for both Call of Cthulhu and Savage Worlds, with tags to indicate them in the text as well as game-specific chapters to deal with topics like combat, strategy and Sanity loss. It then jumps into a timeline from 1907 through to April 1945, weaving fact with fiction. It's illustrated with period photographs and snippets of information on various individuals and events - all laid out to give the impression of a dossier - and is designed so that you can set your action whenever you choose. Of course, later events may be somewhat different depending on the outcome of your group's adventures.

Next, Chapter 2: Inside the Reich deals with the notion that this is an historical horror game and hence delivers some (mostly) historical detail. This type of game works best when you have a good grasp of the real-world history on which your alternate history is based and covers developments in Germany from 1920 on. It looks at the potentials for playing German characters and issues the stark reminder that the Nazis were nasty enough without help from the Mythos. Not everyone will be comfortable playing a German character - although again it must be remembered that not all Germans were as evil as Hitler... war is not football, you do not get to choose which side you support. Notes here make a good job of picking their way through propaganda to give a clear picture of what the average German, especially the average German soldier, was really like. It is an interesting argument which boils down to the concept that the Nazis were not evil due to Mythos influences even in this game, they were evil enough to seek out and attempt to weaponise the Mythos.

Chapter 3: Might Makes Right? moves on from general discussion of German history to talk about the military. Everything is covered from organisation to uniforms to everyday life in the ranks, giving a good impression of the German war machine of the time. There's quite extensive discussion of prisoner-of-war camps which may come in useful should Allied player-characters fall into enemy hands! This chapter ends with a wide selection of sample stat blocks for both German and Allied military personnel. Many real-world units are included, complete with historical notes.

Chapter 4: The Other Secret War then looks at the Great Game, the role of intelligence agencies, spies, signal interception and the like that went on behind the scenes. Here the history and operations of the real-world British, French, American and German intelligence services are covered in quite some detail. The 'Secret War' that is the main thrust of Achtung! Cthulhu is handled in the following chapter, Chapter 5: Secret and Occult Societies. This details many such societies in different countries around the world, mixing known occultists with invented ones quite seamlessly. Organisations and individuals (all with dual stat blocks) provide a ready source of contacts and ideas for adventures, as do the more detailed accounts of some of the ongoing operations, particularly those conducted by the Germans.

Next comes Chapter 6: Planes, Trains and Things That Go Bang. It is much more than an equipment list, with notes on travel by air, sea and land - including border crossings other than the conventional stroll up and present your passport - as well as details of military vehicles and vessels (in enough detail to keep the average wargamer happy) and equipment. The equipment covered here is German, British and Allied equipment is covered in the Investigator's Guide. More esoteric devices invented by German occultists are also included here. Every item is, of course, provided with both Call of Cthulhu and Savage Worlds statistics.

Chapter 7: Into The Fray opens with the immortal words "In case you hadn't noticed, there's a war on" and proceeds to discuss the perils of attempting to run a conventional role-playing style adventure in a combat zone as well as translating common battlefield events into convenient role-playing terms so that if your characters get involved, for example, in an aerial dogfight, you now have the rules to make it all happen within the context of the game. Chapter 8: Rules of Savage Engagement provide additional Savage Worlds game mechanics for use in military combat situations. This being a Mythos game, there is also a table for Sanity loss for those who find themselves caught up in the horrors of war.

This is followed by Chapter 9: Artefacts and Tomes which looks at some of the potent items and books that are around, particularly in Germany, to threaten or entertain the inquisitive seeker of occult knowledge. Several are based on real items held to be of almost-mystical significance by the real-world Nazis, now neatly embuded with power for game purposes - the Blutfahne and the SS Totenkopfring for example. There's a good library of dark and dangerous tomes too, some will be familiar to Call of Cthulhu veterans, but here they are provided with Savage Worlds stats (get the CoC ones from the core rulebook). Now you have all that occult knowledge, Chapter 10: Deadly Illusions and Cursed Knowledge shows you how to use it - in particular, how to cast spells and use artefacts to their full potential, as well as how to use the Knowledge (Mythos) skill to good effect as you try to puzzle things out, preferably before going insane or getting eaten. Budding spellcasters will find a goodly grimoire of spells here. Most are standard ones, so presented only with Savage Worlds mechanics, but there are some new ones with the mechanics for both game systems provided. If that's not enough, Chapter 11: Horrors and Monstrosities provides a vast array of monsters and worse with which to bedevil investigators. There's also a good overview of the Cthulhu Mythos for those new to it.

Next is Chapter 12: Allies and Nemeses, which introduces a wide range of notable individuals the characters might have an opportunity to meet and interact with during the course of the game. Many are real-world historical figures, others feature in Achtung! Cthulhu adventures or feature in this alternate history. Yet others are examples of ordinary people whom they might encounter. There is also a collection of choice generic locations that might come in handy. And now you have people and places, all you need is Chapter 13: Adventure Seeds to start coming up for ways to use them. Some nice ideas here, but you'll have to flesh them out to make full scenarios of them.

Chapter 14: Quick Play Guide is a useful ready-reference for Call of Cthulhu Keepers as to where they can find all the rules they'll need (Savage Worlds referees have all the Cthulhu-related rules they need in this book, of course, and the Savage Worlds rulebook for everything else). Finally, Chapter 15: Suggested Resources provides inspirational references to books and films - even a list of museums you might want to visit.

Presented in a style that suggests a sheaf of government paperwork, adorned with annotations and clipped-in phots and sketches, this book is a masterful exposition of how to weave an alternate history around the Second World War, and should put even the newest Keeper/Referee in a position to run an Achtung! Cthulhu game well.

Mage: The Awakening is a tale of hidden powers, ones that are hidden in plain sight in a world almost our own, a tale that is yours to tell. It opens with the musings of own newly awoken to his powers, a guide to those going through the same process. Becoming a mage is much more than a career choice, but once awakened a life of study and training awaits. The basics are simple a mage taps into a higher power, drawing on an area that is inaccessible to most people, the original home of the soul from which most of us are irrevocably separated. But not mages. Hay can reach across the abyss between this higher plane and the ordinary world and drag mystical power back to do, well, pretty much whatever they want. The abyss is a bit of a problem, though. Therein lies madness, hence all the training, to be able to access power without going out of your head.

Once past this opening, we reach the Introduction, which explains the nature of the alternate reality of this game. It's a heady blend of power and wisdom, the power to work magic and the wisdom to know when it is right to do so. But power corrupts, that is one of the underlying themes of the game. Mages are not all virtuous, noble souls, few are good at sharing and they all like to get their own way. Ancient mysteries beckon, and this game is about the exploration of self as well as of solving them.

Chapter 1: Arcanus Mundus continues in similar vein, expending on the world-view, reality as it is viewed by mages (in as much as they agree about anything, that is!). The basic idea is that although we ordinary people may think that we understand the world, we are but sleepwalking through it and it is only mages who are awakened to its true reality. This may explain why mages tend to be an arrogant bunch, it also satisfies that feeling most of us have that there is some kind of underlying pattern or logic if we could only but see it. Get into this mindset and you begin to understand what makes mages in this game tick.

There are tales of the origins of magic as practised today, scoffed at by some and held to be literal historical truth by others. Then we hear how magic developed and the different strands that arose over time leading to the various factions through which the modern mage must navigate his way. The fundamental truth behind it all is that mages can bend reality to their will by force of mind alone - but it is a dangerous thing to do any many the mind, if not life, has been lost in this quest.

Mages refer to their discovery of their powers as Awakening, often a period of great stress as - to begin with - most are not even aware of what is taking place. Often it is more akin to going mad. Then it is a matter of learning about reality, understanding the strands of the tapestry - for until you understand them, how can you hope to manipulate them? The overall sweep of this chapter, however fanciful, has a coherence to it that leaves you feeling that this just might be real, creating a solid grounding for the alternate reality of the game... for if we did not dream we would not be role-players.

The discussion then moves on to details of the various factions and groupings, the philosophies and paths that mages can follow, the organisations and fellowships that they might join. Coverage is extensive: the intention is that you will be provided with all the information you need to make appropriate choices during character creation.

In Chapter 2: Character we find most of what we need to start building a mage character. For the rest, you will need the core World of Darkness rulebook. Here, though, is the process of creating characters along with the traits and systems necessary to perform the task. It is all about creating a rounded, realistic character - not just the most potent mage you can manage, but a believable individual to be your alter ego within the alternate reality of the game. The basis for the process is your concept of who your mage is, how he came to be awakened and what his intentions are now that he can wield magic.

The actual process of applying a mage template to a World of Darkness character is explained, but the main thrust of the discussion remains focussed on creating a detailed and rounded character who is a lot more than the magic he can wield. The option is also available to create a 'normal' character who has not yet awakened and include this pivotal moment in your game, or as a prelude to it which will be played out in full rather than treated as something that has happened already. Perhaps you will already know, from the previous chapter, which order and path you will choose, or this may still be open to discussion or even chance to decide as he awakens to his new capabilities.

Mechanically, everything is quite straightforward. You start with attributes - physical, social and mental - choosing which of these is your primary area of ability and so on, allocating dots as appropriate. Then you pick skills - these all the regular mundane things that the character knows how to do, be it ride a bike, cook a meal or construct a legal argument that will stand up in court. It is only then that you start to look at the magical aspects of path and order.

The discussion moves on to the differences between each path and each order, in both game mechanical and more philosophical terms. This enables you to think about your choices in terms of the sort of person you want your character to be as well as to enable you to fill out the character sheet appropriately. More follows - traits, merits, virtues, vices - to empower you to determine the style and substance of your brand-new mage.

If you have chosen to play out the character's Awakening in a prelude - usually played one-on-one with the Storyteller - there then follows all the details that the both of you need to make this happen. It is all about setting a scene, and as much about establishing who your character was and who he will become as the pivotal moment that changes him for the rest of his life. There is a lot more information to absorb, but character creation in this game s intended to be approached in a reflective and thoughtful manner - although once you are used to it the actual mechanics are relatively speedy to implement.

Next, Chapter 3: Magic - unsurprisingly the longest chapter in the book - delivers an extensive discussion of how magic works, covering both in-character magical theory and practical game mechanics. Yet it is more than mere spellcasting. Mages can sense things others cannot, they are aware of the active presence of supernatural beings or even operational spells even without trying. Once they pay attention, they can discern much, much more. The purpose of this chapter is to get you to think like your character does, do not just skim through in search of the mechanics of spellcasting and other powers but study it to gain an understanding of the nature of what your character can do. Because to cast a spell it is not sufficient to know it, the mage needs to imagine the effect that he desires to have upon reality before it can take place. This means that with sufficient knowledge and visualisation a mage can concoct new spells, even on the fly.

There are two types of magic: vulgar and improbable. The difference is in the appearance - is it obviously magic or can it be explained away as a natural (even if unlikely) occurrence? Wise mages are subtle, not letting on what they can do. To do otherwise risks a paradox, a rebellion of nature itself against what the mage is doing to it, and that has bad consequences for the mage himself. There are loads of examples and tables to help you figure this all out, although as they are mixed in with the discourse you do need to work through it all to be able to use the spells to effect. Both players and the Storyteller need to understand what is going on for this game to play well. It is complex, and intended to be so - in this game magic is the focus, rather than a useful tool to achieve other ends, even if in the course of a game mage characters will use their magic to achieve self or Storyteller set goals.

Once all the various procedures, processes and options involved in actually casting a spell have been detailed - and brought together in a useful summary of the sequence to be followed, marrying the mechanical bit of rolling dice with the concept of what the mage is trying to achieve, we move on to a vast list of existing spells. Of course, this is just the start. Any mage can 'improvise' if he has a clear vision of what effect he wishes to create, and if he likes the results can continue to hone it until it's a recognised spell that may be taught to others. The variety is great, but no mage can cast all of them - some are specific to a particular order and all require the caster to be able to cast spells using the specific arcana (areas of magic) involved in that particular spell. Mages develop their understanding of each Arcanum separately, thus giving a high degree of personalisation to their abilities. A neat point is that there are often several routes to achieving the same effect.

Appropriately, each Arcanum is discussed in turn, with an overview followed by an extensive list of spells in increasing order of power, complete with descriptions of what they do along with the game mechanics necessary to cast them. These are followed by a discussion of paradox and the fates that befall mages who manage to create it and various other matters - resonance, making magical items, fighting arcane duels and more - even creating your own spells from scratch. Players need to study Chapter 3 almost as intently as their characters study magic, or they will find themselves at a disadvantage, unable to wield magic as the game intends. Finally, Chapter 4: Storytelling and Antagonists looks at the art of running, rather than playing, the game. Unlike many game systems, however, players are actually encouraged to read this chapter rather than being told in no uncertain terms to keep out. It's intended to be a collaborative game, with Storyteller and players working together to tell a tale. This does not mean that the Storyteller has no secrets or does not provide enemies to work against them, but the general terms of what a Storyteller does is of use to all at the table in creating and maintaining the alternate reality of a Mage: The Awakening game.

You are referred to the appropriate chapter in the core rulebook for general advice in running the system. The material here supplements that advice and puts a particular Mage spin on it. It starts by looking at appropriate themes. It's an occult horror game, basically, but there are many directions in which your group can take it, depending on their interests. One common theme is that power corrupts - and if there is anyone with power, it's a mage! The central story, though, is that of the mages themselves. Take a wide view here, find out about family and friends work colleagues, people who knew the character before he awakened - and of course those who do not like him - and weave them all into stories that involve the character as a person, not just a mage nor a series of dots on a character sheet. Of such things are the most memorable games made. Mages are political animals, and even if intrigue is not a major strand in your plots the activities of other mages, especially the powerful ones, may have an impact on your party. Above all, create the alternate reality in which magic is real - let the players have a glimpse of the wonders that their characters behold and can create. There's loads of advice here to help you make this happen.

After detailing just some of the many threats that mages face in day-to-day life - from the political manoeuvring of other mages to other supernatural beings like werewolves and vampires to agents of governments and corporations who may be aware of their existence - the discussion moves on to actually running the game. The basic World of Darkness approach holds good: the characters settle in an area, get to know it and begin to make their mark in the hidden society that's just outside normal humans' understanding. Several broad themes and plotlines are suggested to get the Keeper going, but ultimately it will be up to them to devise a suitable situation with which the characters will interact. There's also advice on the mechanics of introducing and running the mighty powers that mages are heir to - something that can be quite a challenge to begin with, and detailed discussion of an array of adversaries and antagonists, beginning with other mages.

That's it for the main part of the book but there are some appendices. The first deals with Legacies, further knowledge and training more advanced mages may acquire often through ornate ritual and within fraternal organisations. Several are detailed here, but for those who really wish to delve, they are more fully covered in other books, or you can create your own, following the rules outlined here.

The second appendix presents a setting: the city of Boston. Not all mages are urban souls, but the New World of Darkness tends to base itself around cities and Boston has been selected as the exemplar for mage society. There's a bit of history and an overview of contemporary life including a rough sketchmap. However as it is based closely on the real Boston you will be able to find more detailed maps with ease should you require them.

There's a lot here, particularly pertaining to the underpinning intrigue that is rife in Awakened society Even if your game takes another path, that intrigue will be there in the background and the wise mage ignores it at his peril. A couple of atmospheric fictional snippets round off the book.

Visually it is quite a delight with some excellent line art that fuses magical and modern themes and highlights of gold - not always as legible as they might be. Ghost images occasionally occlude the text but not too badly, likewise there are some typos and jumblings of the text that a thorough proofread ought to have caught but you can generally work out what is intended. Overall it is a masterly presentation of an alternate reality so compelling that you begin to wonder if it might just be out there somewhere!

In this adventure, intrepid investigators are sent to the frozen wastes north of the Arctic Circle in 1943 to hunt for mysteries behind enemy lines in Norway and Finland. Resistance reports have alerted the British intelligence services to unusual activity - and the presence of a well-known German occultist - in the vicinity of the village of Trellborg in Finland.

After an outline of what is going on, the mission briefing is supplied in two versions: one for military characters (who could be the pre-generated ones provided) and one for non-military investigators - who will find themselves being sent on a crash course in winter survival, canoeing and Nordic skiing before they are sent on the mission. They also meet a mysterious specialist who will accompany them whose name is Seraph and who is indeed 'on the side of the angels'.

The adventure itself is a reasonably linear narrative that builds to an epic climax, but there's plenty of flexibility built in to give characters freedom of action. It involves an arduous journey deep into enemy territory and darn chilly to boot. Structured as a five-day mission, each day has several scenes that provide the main meat of the story. It all begins with the party being dropped off from a British submarine somewhere off the Norwegian coast and having to make their way ashore in canoes. Here they will meet the Norwegian resistance and make their way overland to the scene of the action. Well, that's the idea, but there are some perils along the route...

As the adventure unfolds there are plenty of opportunities for combat, an encounter with a bear, and a chance to learn quite a lot of Norse mythology - some real and some most convincingly invented for this story! There's a lot going on and no time to get bored although there is plenty to get scared about.

The adventure itself is followed by pre-generated characters, a collection of allies and adversaries (including a new Mythos monster) and a rules section that covers such essentials as Nordic skiing, canoeing and arctic survival, as well as new spells and equipment. This is followed by a handout - a multi-page work entitled Diary of a Madman which the characters ought to find along the way and which might provide them with some clues as to what is going on. It repays careful study.

It's an atmospheric and exciting adventure based on a novella written by the adventure author and also available from Modiphius. Indeed if you are running this adventure, the novella will give you added atmosphere and descriptive material.

Set amidst the turmoil of the Dunkirk evacuations, this adventure sets the heroes against more than the Nazi hordes. Sent into Dunkirk just as most of the British were leaving, the intrepid investigators are in search of a missing secret agent who has vital intelligence regarding a threat known only as Operation Needle.

It opens with notes from the author about the delights and dangers of setting an adventure against the backdrop of World War 2 - to catch the excitement and make a good game without trivialising a time when many good people lost their lives - before launching into the background of the adventure itself. Section D, the characters' employer, does not know much about what their missing agent has discovered but are convinced that it's something that they need to know, hence the mission with which they will be tasked. This is followed by details of what is actually going on, a foul plot indeed to drown the escaping British troops by arcane means. The scene is set well, with copious details of the real history of Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of Dunkirk, complete with atmospheric illustrations, a comprehensive timeline of events and a map of the Dunkirk bridgehead. Even before you get to the adventure proper, there is plenty of scope for encounters that may prove hostile, even deadly, to the unwary.

Next comes the actual adventure, presented as five 'episodes' which can be played through as appropriate based on character actions. Scattered throughout are options galore to enable you to cope with just about anything that the characters might decide to do. There are even a couple of different ways to get them involved - what if they are Germans? Or the more traditional academic sort of investigators rather than soldiers/agents? Although the real timeline for Dunkirk is provided it is recommended that the Keeper be flexible and fit it around the adventure, rather than rushing the adventure to accommodate historical fact.

There is plenty for the investigators to do during the adventure, and despite the setting much is 'traditional' investigative fare although there are of course plenty of opportunities to engage in combat. There's even the chance to get aboard a U-Boat, whilst the investigation should take them beyond the confines of the waking world into a very strange realm indeed. The options continue thick and fast, with notes as to how to handle any eventuality from them solving the adventure before reaching Episode 4 to what to do if they get captured...

Four pre-generated characters are provided for groups who wish to dive straight in to the adventure. On the rules front there are some new skills and spells which might prove useful during the course of the game as well as notes on shell shock and how to handle guardposts and skirmishes effectively. Several tanks and other warlike vehicles that may be encountered are presented. Finally, some in-character resources in the shape of the initial briefing pack and loads of handouts - all very atmospheric and looking the part.

It's an exciting adventure, blending the Mythos skilfully with known history and delightfully open-ended, with good support for the Keeper whatever the investigators do; it would be difficult to derail the adventure, even if they might end up changing the course of the war! Of such things are good alternate histories made...

Achtung! Cthulhu is a setting for Lovecraftian role-playing in World War 2, and this is the first adventure in that setting. As if the world wasn't already tearing itself apart, what would be the impact of having the Cthulhu Mythos involved as well? With, of course, evil Nazi scientists trying to harness their powers...

The adventure is set in the summer of 1939 when the world was slowly realising that there was no escape from conflict (my mother, just about to go to university, was worried about the effect that a war would have on her social life!). Czechoslovakia has just been invaded by the Third Reich and although the UK is not yet officially at war they are receiving dire news from resistance figures and the new-born government-in-exile that a member of the resistance has information about atrocities being committed that would make wonderful propaganda when war does begin in earnest. So 'Section D' - a branch of the British Secret Intelligence Service has assembled a team to find out... you can either have your players generate appropriate characters using the Call of Cthulhu rules, or use the pre-generated ones supplied with the adventure.

Material is presented atmospherically with realistic-looking documents, indeed the adventure itself looks as if it escaped from wartime files (there's a printer-friendly one included in the PDF version to save on ink).

The underlying plot is laid out for the Keeper's eyes, and then there are several 'likely episodes' laid out for you, leaving the whole thing quite open-ended and allowing you to react to character actions and approaches to the investigation with ease. Each episode in turn has a number of scenes which may or may not take place as the action unfolds. Obviously, this is an adventure that repays thorough preparation, it would be quite hard to just pick it up and play. Loads of alternatives - beginning with ideas on how to use the adventure with less military-minded characters than the provided ones - are scattered throughout, so that you can tailor the adventure to suit the characters and how they want to go about matters without floundering and having to improvise too much. Even more impressive are all the little details - from local cuisine to likely languages spoken - that will help you to make the whole thing come to life in a shared alternate reality.

Put simply, the characters have to break into a castle and find out what's going on there. Of course, it never is that simple...

Support is good with stat blocks and notes about those who you might meet, details of roving patrols and how the castle is defended, maps (in both Keeper and player versions) as well as new rules from skills like parachuting to how best to handle capture of the characters (a real threat) and new occupations within the cloak and dagger world of intelligence operations. There's even a full Operational Briefing that, if your characters are Section D agents, can be handed directly to them repleate with maps, scribbled comments and SECRET stamps. Very atmospheric!

With the single caveat that some groups may not feel comfortable with an adventure set in World War 2, this is - for those groups who are happy with the situation - a straightforward yet exciting introduction to the concept of Cthulhu-meets-the-Nazis. Memorable adventure is to be had!

In the Hub Federation, a key feature of Gypsy Knights Games's alternative Traveller universe, as well as a navy there are two types of ground forces - a Federation-wide force of Marines and individual planetary ground forces. This book deals with both, and is of most use if your game includes the Hub Federation as presented in this alternate setting. However, it could be retooled for any pocket empire that choses to organise its forces this way, and includes career tracks and equipment that could be useful whatever sort of game you are running where ground troops are involved.

The first part describes the Hub Federation Marines and then the various planetary ground forces - loads of detail here from history and structure down to uniforms and rank badges. Unlike the Hub Federation Navy, where fleets of British and German origin combined (and created a new force based on both traditions), the Hub Federation Marines were formed from a group of British Royal Marines and have insisted on retaining their traditions by and large intact. Each planetary force, however, has established their own and this is reflected in variations to a standard uniform for all of them. However I am left wondering why the Marines wear bearskin caps... something never worn by the Royal Marines, they are the sole preserve of the British Guards regiments! The Hub Federation Marines have also adopted the kilt, as an optional item of dress, due to the presence of the 'Royal Highland Marine Regiment' or Black Watch (again a bit of confusion - yes, there was a Black Watch or Royal Highland Regiment on the British books until the last round of mergers but they were never marines!). It makes a nice touch, especially the thought that the kilt may be worn into battle along with combat armour. Scary... and there's even an illustration to give the idea.

Next come all the details necessary for creating a character with a background in either Marines or a planetary ground force. There's a section on medals too, no pictures alas but names and terms of award. That's always something nice for players... I once ran a game at a convention in which success was rewarded by some medals, and was surprised that the players carefully noted the decorations they received on the pre-generated character sheets they'd been handed for the game! The career paths are detailed and comprehensive, with loads of tables to roll upon as you work your way through.

Then comes a selection of landing craft to get these ground-pounders where they need to go, followed by ground vehicles, aircraft and equipment for use when they get there. Atmospheric fiction and pictures are scattered throughout, and appendices contain reference to a notable past action - the Battle of Beol - and organisation charts. All in all, a good resource if you are using the Hub Federation in your game and want to know a bit about their ground forces.